Ordering too little gravel means a second delivery charge and a half-finished driveway; ordering too much leaves a pile of expensive stone sitting in your yard. This gravel calculator removes the guesswork: you enter the length, width, and depth of your project, and it instantly converts those dimensions into cubic yards, tons, pounds, and an estimated material cost at whatever price per yard your supplier quoted.
The math underneath is a simple rectangular volume. A cubic yard is a cube three feet on each side, which is 27 cubic feet — the conversion almost everyone gets wrong by dividing by ten instead of 27. Because gravel is sold both by volume (cubic yard) and by weight (ton), the calculator applies a typical density of about 3,000 pounds per cubic yard so you can ask your supplier for either unit and compare apples to apples.
How to Use
- Measure the Length and Width of the area in feet. For irregular shapes, break the project into rectangles, calculate each one separately, and add the cubic yardages together.
- Set the Depth in inches. A driveway or parking pad needs 3–4 inches of compacted gravel; a garden path or walkway can use 2 inches; a base layer under concrete or pavers often calls for 4–6 inches.
- Enter your supplier's Price per Cubic Yard. This is the delivered rate, typically $30–$60 per yard depending on your region and the stone type. If you only have a per-ton quote, convert it using the tonnage figure the calculator shows.
- Adjust the Material Weight if you know your specific stone. Crushed stone and driveway gravel run near 3,000 lb/yd³; sand and pea gravel are slightly lighter at 2,600–2,800 lb/yd³; riprap is heavier.
- Read the result card. It shows the square-foot area, the volume in both cubic yards and cubic feet, the weight in tons and pounds, and the total estimated material cost.
- Add 10%–15% to the cubic-yard figure for spillage, compaction, and uneven ground — most suppliers recommend it, and it is far cheaper than a second short load.
The Gravel Formula
The calculation is straightforward rectangular volume:
Cubic Yards = Length (ft) × Width (ft) × Depth (in ÷ 12) ÷ 27
Where 27 is the number of cubic feet in one cubic yard (3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft). Once the volume in cubic yards is known, the weight and cost follow directly:
Weight (lb) = Cubic Yards × Weight per Cubic Yard Cost = Cubic Yards × Price per Cubic Yard Tons = Weight (lb) ÷ 2,000
Worked example: a 60 ft × 36 ft parking apron at 3 inches deep. The area is 2,160 square feet; the depth is 0.25 ft; the volume is 540 cubic feet, or exactly 20 cubic yards. At 3,000 lb/yd³ that is 60,000 pounds (30 tons), and at $40 per yard the material cost is $800. Notice how dividing 540 by 27 — not by 10 — is what produces the correct 20 yards; dividing by 10 would over-buy by nearly three times.
How Deep Should Gravel Be?
Depth is the variable that most often makes people under-order. A layer of gravel compacts as it settles, so the depth you measure after compaction is less than the depth you dump:
- Walkways and garden paths: 2 inches compacted.
- Driveways for passenger cars: 3 inches on a well-prepared base; 4 inches if you park trucks or RVs.
- Parking pads and rural roads: 4–6 inches, ideally over a crushed-stone base.
- French drains and drainage trenches: 6–12 inches of washed stone around the pipe.
If your soil is soft or wet, double the depth or add a geotextile fabric first — otherwise the gravel will sink into the mud and you will need more stone within a year.
Examples
Example 1 — A standard driveway. A homeowner measures a driveway 40 ft long by 20 ft wide and wants 3 inches of gravel. The area is 800 square feet; at 0.25 ft deep the volume is 200 cubic feet, or about 7.4 cubic yards. At 3,000 lb/yd³ that is roughly 11.1 tons, and at $40 per yard the material cost is about $296. With a 10% waste allowance, order 8–8.5 cubic yards.
Example 2 — The reference parking apron. A contractor prices a 60 ft × 36 ft commercial pad at 3 inches deep. The math gives exactly 20 cubic yards, 30 tons (60,000 lb), and at $40 per yard a material cost of $800. If the supplier quotes $55 per yard instead, the cost rises to $1,100 — the calculator makes that flip instant.
Example 3 — A large lot. A landscape crew paves a 1,000,000 square-foot staging area at 3 inches deep. The volume balloons to about 9,259 cubic yards and roughly 13,889 tons; at $40 per yard the material alone is about $370,370. Running this number before the bid prevents a catastrophic under-estimate on a large contract.
FAQ
How many cubic yards of gravel do I need?
Multiply the length by the width to get square feet, multiply by the depth in feet (inches divided by 12), and divide by 27 to convert cubic feet into cubic yards. For a 10 ft × 20 ft area at 3 inches deep, that is 200 × 0.25 ÷ 27 ≈ 1.85 cubic yards. Enter your own numbers above for an exact figure.
How much does a cubic yard of gravel weigh?
A cubic yard of gravel typically weighs about 3,000 pounds, or 1.5 tons. Weight varies by material: pea gravel and sand are closer to 2,600–2,800 lb/yd³, crushed stone around 3,000 lb/yd³, and wet or larger riprap can exceed 3,200 lb/yd³.
How much does a gravel driveway cost?
Most homeowners pay $30–$60 per cubic yard delivered. A typical two-car driveway (about 200–800 square feet) uses 1–8 cubic yards, so material alone runs roughly $100–$500 before delivery, labor, and a compacted base layer. Use the Price per Cubic Yard field to match your local quote.
Should I order gravel by the yard or by the ton?
Suppliers in most states sell aggregates by weight (tons) because it is measured on a truck scale and cannot be fudged by moisture or looseness. A cubic yard of gravel weighs about 1.5 tons. This calculator gives you both figures, so you can accept whichever unit your supplier quotes without losing sleep.
How deep should a gravel driveway be?
Plan for 3 inches of compacted surface gravel for passenger cars, and 4 inches if you regularly park trucks or heavy vehicles. Always put it over a 4–6 inch crushed-stone base on well-drained soil; skipping the base is the most common reason a gravel driveway turns to mud within a year.
How much extra gravel should I order for waste?
Add 10%–15% to the cubic-yard total. Irregular shapes, uneven ground, compaction, and spillage all consume stone, and a second small delivery often carries a minimum truck fee that wipes out any savings from under-ordering.
Disclaimer
This gravel calculator is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute engineering, contracting, or construction advice. Estimates are based on rectangular-area geometry and a typical 3,000 lb/yd³ density; actual coverage, compaction, and weight vary by stone type, moisture, subgrade, and compaction method. Always confirm quantities and pricing directly with a licensed supplier or contractor, and add a suitable waste allowance before ordering.